How do you know if your credit history is healthy? First, don't rely on guesswork. Order a copy of your credit record, preferably three months before applying for a loan. You'll see where you stand and have time to clear up errors, which are a common finding, on your record.

Get a FREE Credit Report from any of these links.

What do the credit bureaus include on the credit reports?

Court Records

Bankruptcies, judgments, divorces, liens, satisfied judgments or liens are all considered court records and show up on your credit report as negative listings.

Collections

Any time a creditor turns a delinquent account or bad check over to a collection agency, it shows up on your credit report and is considered to be a very negative listing. This shows up on your credit report as Collection Account, and can appear as a paid or unpaid account.

Merchant Trade Lines

Regular credit lines, department store cards, auto loans, mortgages and credit cards are all under the heading of Merchant Trade Lines. Credit grantors consider these listings negative if they:
1. Have a history of late payments
2. Have been included in a bankruptcy
3. Have been charged off
4. Put into repossession

Inquiries

If credit grantors observe excessive credit inquiries on your credit report, it may sometimes result in your being turned down for a loan. Whenever a lender takes a look at your credit report, it will show up on at least one of the credit bureau reports.